Bradley

9.8

Color: pale yellow
Smell: lemon, grapefruit
Sip: lemon
Acid: high
Sweetness: very — 13 days ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two hours. The 2022 pours a straw color with medium viscosity. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of tart orchard fruit: passion fruit, lemon, sea spray, white flowers, lanolin and minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with high acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ with a wooly texture and lovely minerals. Drinking now through 2037. — a month ago

Jay Kline

9.7

The 2010 Montée de Tonnerre pours a straw color with medium viscosity. On the nose, this is an absolute powerhouse; sizzling with energy, tropical and orchard fruit: passionfruit, tangerine, green apple, crushed seashell, lemon curd and chalky minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and full of minerals. A supercharger of a Chablis. Tonight, this was truly sensational and an experience I won’t soon forget. Drink now through 2040. — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Presented double-blind. The wine pours a light straw color with medium viscosity and no signs of particles or gas. On the nose, the wine is developing with tart and ripe notes of apple, pear, underripe pineapple, lemon curd, nuts and minerals. I felt like there was some deft use of oak. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+, bordering on high acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and chocked full of minerals. My immediate impression was Bourgogne Blanc and I was having a hard time getting away from it. So I called Chardonnay, from France, Burgundy, Chassagne-Montrachet with 3-5 years of age. Gosh dammit! Margaret River strikes again!!! Blind, I always seem to call these Chablis or some other high quality white Burg. And I adore the Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnays. They always impress me. Drink now through 2036. — 3 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Decanted about an hour in advance and enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2022 Cuvée Réservée pours a deep ruby color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of ripe and tart bramble fruits: blackberries, Marionberries, raspberries, “Oops All Berries!!”, garrigue, red and purple flowers, black pepper, licorice, a balance of cool and warm spices, river rock. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from nose; particularly the power and quality of fruit. The finish is long. Early days for the 2022 Cuvée Réservée but holy smokes is it already pretty special. The ABV is a scorching 16% but you would never know it. The power and freshness of fruit with the titanic structure keep everything in balance. Drink now through 2042. — a month ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course two hours. The 2023 Morgon (S) pours a brilliant ruby/purple color with a transparent core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and tart red fruits: strawberry, raspberry, cherry, a touch of bubblegum, red flowers, licorice, black pepper, a mix of cool spices and rocky minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. This is a more dense expression of Lapierre’s Morgon which isn’t a surprise considering the vintage. Quite lovely with chicken pâté. Drink now through 2037. — 2 months ago

Ely Cohn

9.5

The difference 40 years makes is maybe just a thin wooly blanket.

Pull it back and this thing's full of life - bright, vibrant, gas in the tank.

It’s brighter yellow than tired gold. Theres more fruit than decay. Sour apricots and yellow canned peaches, white popcorn and greasy bacon, and that foggy musk.

Acid rips through and does not give. Barely sweet with the demi-sec tag thats written right there but I'm not buying it.

Tonight this is 40 years old, just gettin' goin, just like me. — 3 months ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two days. Better on Day 2. The 2023 Zinfandel pours a ruby/purple color with a magenta rim; medium+ viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is youthful with notes of ripe and tart black, red and some blue fruits: black berries, black cherries, raspberries, fig, green herbs, a touch of rubber pool toy, black pepper, dry earth and some gentle warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. From my experience, this is the most youthful expression of Rafanelli Zinfandel I can recall. Good, but to my palate this will probably be better after 2028. — a month ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of 90 minutes. The 2012 pours a deep ruby/purple with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of Montmorency cherry, blackberry, dill, toasted coconut, olive, zatar, and a touch of vanilla. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. This only got better with air and might be my favorite young Tondonia since I first drank the 2006 vintage. Really good stuff already! Drink now with some patience and through 2042. — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of several hours. The 2012 pours a ruby/purple color with a transparent core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of lovely ripe red and black fruits: mixed brambles, Morello cherry, red flowers, licorice, garrigue, a touch of leather, mixed spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and rich. Drink now through 2032. — 3 months ago